Swivel construction



Oct. 6, 1964 Filed Sept. 13, 1962 E. F. WAGNER SWIVEL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Z6 L INVENTOR.

E [2726/1 Wayfzeij Oct. 6, 1964 E. F. WAGNER 3,151,897

SWIVEL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1962 INVENTOR.

JMJIW United States Patent 3,151,897 SWIVEL CONSTRUCTION Eimer F. Wagner, Chicago, 111., assignor to Adjustabie Clamp Company, Chicago, EL, a corporation of lliinois Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,364 1 Claim. (Ci. 287-41) This invention relates to swivel construction and more particularly to self-aligning swivels adapted to be rockably secured to a generally spherical head member.

Self-aligning swivels are in widespread commercial use. They are used on a variety of articles having a need for a self-aligning surface engaging pad. For example, they will be found in work clamping devices, on furniture legs, on tripods, on ladders, etc. Known swivels of this type usually include a pad having a flat surface-engaging face and a socket adapted to receive a spherical head provided on the article to which the swivels are attached. The spherical head is held in the socket of the swivel by inturning an annular lip at the mouth of the socket thereby substantially enclosing the head member in the socket. Special tools are required to attach these swivels properly to the various articles of which they are a part. Also, because of the stresses imposed on the swivels resulting from normal usage and because of rough handling to which they may be subjected, it is not infrequent when swivels of the type described become detached making their replacement necessary.

It is a princpal object of the present invention to provide swivel construction wherein a swivel may be quickly and yet securely attached to a generally spherical head member without the use of special tools.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a swivel which once attached will not be likely to become separated from the article of which it is a part.

It is an even further object of this invention to provide a swivel which will be easy and inexpensive to manufacture and which will be extremely durable in use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, wherein like numerals refer to similar parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a work clamping device in which the swivel of this invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another enlarged section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded section showing the various parts of the swivel before the same has been assembled;

FIG. 6 is a section through the swivel showing the same just prior to its engagement with a spherical head member in the course of being attached thereto;

FIG. 7 is an elevation of another form of work clamping device using the swivel of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation of a furniture leg or the like on which the swivel of this invention may be used.

A work clamping device of the C-clamp type which is adapted to use the swivel of this invention will be seen in FIG. 1. The C-clamp, generally designated 10, is lshaped in cross-section including an outer flange 11, a web 12 and an inner flange 13. The C-clamp includes a fixed head member formed by providing a pad 14 at one end thereof. The other end of the C-clamp is integral with a sleeve 15, which sleeve is threaded interiorly thereof and is adapted to threadingly receive a hand-operated screw 16. A small rod or handle 17, slidable in a transversely disposed aperture in the end of the screw 16, is provided for use in rotating the screw. The movable head of the "ice clamp includes the screw 16 having a generally spherical head portion 18 integrally formed on the work-engaging end thereof, which head forms a swivel attaching means.

The swivel of this invention, generally designated 19, is in the form of a pad adapted to be rockably secured to the spherical head portion 13 of the screw 16. The swivel includes a generally cylindrical body member 20 having a flat Work-engaging face 21 and a socket 22 for the reception of the spherical head. The swivel 19 contains an enlarged annular cavity at the mouth of the socket, coaxial with the axis of the socket. The cavity is provided with an annular tapered surface 23 and is closed at its open end by an annular flange 24, inturned as seen in FIG. 6.

At least one washer 25 is adapted to be received in the cavity of the swivel coaxial with the axis of the socket. The washer is provided for the purpose of securing the swivel pad 19, in a unique and quite effective manner, to the spherical head 18 of the screw 16. The washer 25, which may be similar to those commercially known as internal tooth spring lock washers, is frusto-conical in shape and includes a plurality of inwardly extending radial fingers 26, which fingers form a central opening in the washer 25 which is of a less diameter than the diameter of the spherical head 18. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of washers 25 are held in the annular cavity in the swivel pad by the inturned flange 24, which flange forms an annular lip for engaging and retaining the washers to the pad. It will be real zed that a single washer is sufficient to secure the swivel to the spherical head. The number of washers used per swivel depends upon, inter alia, the kind of material used, size of parts, etc. The completed swivel is assembled in the configuration shown in FIG. 6 prior to its being attached to a spherical head member.

The swivel of this invention is very easy to attach to a spherical head member. It is only necessary to hold the mouth of the socket on the swivel adjacent the spherical head member and apply a suitable force to the work-engaging face of the body of the swivel. This force may be applied by a hammer or other like tools. This action will force the spherical head through the central opening in the washer or washers 25. The fingers 26 will be deflected, toward the bottom of the socket, allowing the spherical head to spring past the washers 25, and the resiliency of the fingers 26 will be sufiicient to cause them to return at least partially to their normal position, where they will engage and interlock securely the upper part of a spherical head such as the head 18, as best seen in FIG. 3. It will be apparent that when the fingers 26 have sprung back to this position the swivel will be very securely attached and locked to the head 18. Any force applied to the swivel tending to separate it from the spherical head will result in closing of the fingers 25 thereby tending to reduce the central opening in the washer 25 for increasing the eifectiveness of the attachment of the swivel to the spherical head member.

As will be noted in the drawings, surface 23, which forms a wall portion of the annular groove, extends to ward the base of the socket in a manner providing a space between this surface and the fingers thereby to allow the latter to deflect upon entry of the spherical portion into the socket. Flange 24, which forms another wall portion of the annular groove, extends for a short distance over the washer fingers thereby to prevent the latter from deflecting to an extent which would permit separation of the spherical head portion from the socket and also to prevent the washer from snapping over dead center which would permit separation of the spherical head portion from the socket.

When the swivel is used in a work clamping device, such as the C-clamp shown in FIGS. 1-4, it is only necessary to center the swivel on the fixed head of the clamp with the work-engaging face of the swivel in engagement with the face of the pad 14 which forms the fixed head. The screw 16 of the work clamping device is then rotated until the spherical head 18 thereof comes into contact 7 with the fingers 26 which partially extend across the opening of the socket 22. Further rotary movement of the screw will thereupon force the spherical head 18 through the central opening in the washers thereby securely locking the swivel in place.

FIG. 7 shows the swivel of this invention used on another form of a work clamp device, such as a bar clamp, generally designated 27. The bar clamp includes a bar 28 having an arm 29 secured to one end thereof and extending at a right angle from the bar. The swivel 19 of this invention is rockably mounted on a spherical attaching portion on the free end of the arm 29 for forming the fixed head of the clamp. The movable head of this clamp is provided by an arm 30 slidably mounted on the bar 28 at right angles thereto and adapted to be held in place at any desired point on the bar by a number of clutch plates 31, which plates frictionally engage the upper edge of the bar. A screw 32 having a handle portion 33 is threadingly mounted in a sleeve integrally formed on the free end of the arm 30. A second swivel 19 is rockably mounted on the work engaging end of the screw. It will be noted that the swivel is provided on the fixed head of the clamp as well as the movable head thereof. It should be apparent that the swivel of this invention can be used on a wide variety of tools including work clamping devices.

FIG. 8 shows the swivel of this invention used on a furniture leg or tripod leg, generally designated 34. The leg 34 is provided with a longitudinally extending stem 35 at the tip thereof, which stem has a spherical head memer integrally formed thereon and adapted to be received in the socket of the swivel 19. The swivel 19 may be securely attached and locked to a furniture leg or the like in the manner described above. The swivel is held with the mouth thereof adjacent the spherical head member which is attached to the furniture leg. Itis then only necessary to apply a force from a hammer or like tool to the surface engaging face of the swivel thereby securely Thus it will be seen that by this invention a swivel has 3 been provided which will be easy to attach toan article and which will not be likely to become detached after it is in place. The swivel is simple to manufacture, and it contains but few parts, making it inexpensive to produce. It is extremely rugged, as the only parts thereof which could be easily damaged, viz., the washers, are completely protected by the body of the swivel.

While the invention has been shown in but one form it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not to be so limited, but it is susceptible of variou changes and forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is: p

A swivel connection including first and second members, said first member having a generally spherical swivel attaching portion, said spherical portion being connected to said first member by a cylindrical portion having a diameter less than the diameter of said spherical portion, said second member having a socket with said spherical portion received therein, said second member also having an enlarged annular groove around the mouth of said socket coaxial with the axis of said socket, at least one annular frusto-conical spring washer secured in said groove and being coaxial with the axis of said socket, said washer having a uniform and continuous taper between opposite ends thereof and extending toward the base of said socket, said annular groove being defined by a substantially radially, inwardly extending, annular first wall portion and a second wall portion generally disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the socket greater than the angle of slope of "the washer, which wall portions are joined by a base portion of substantially the same diameter as the greatest diameter of said washer, said washer also having a plurality of inwardly extending resilient fingers forming the small opening of said Washer of a diameter less than the diameter of said spherical portion, said first wall portion having a radial extent so proportioned that the same extends over a portion of said fingers thereby to prevent the latter from deflecting to an extent permitting separation of the spherical portion from the socket, said fingers having their tips in engagement with said spherical portion for retaining said first and second members together and for permitting rocking movement therebetween, said fingers being adapted to be deflected by the passage of said spherical portion through said washer opening to permit entry of said spherical portion into said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,459,251 Stillwagon Jan. 18, 1949 2,579,995 Atchison Dec. 25, 1951 2,781,658 Dobell Feb. 19, 1957 2,894,548 Peck et al. July 14, 1959 2,975,667 Bross Mar. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 231,598 Australia Dec. 13, 1960 229,632 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1944 

